Phoenix
by emiamami
Summary: "I wasn't disappointed in his answer. I was disappointed in myself for believing that I could do what was obviously impossible."
1. Chapter 1

"Enough, Kacchan! Can't you see he's crying? If you keep going, I- I- I'll never forgive you!"

A smirk quickly overtook the blond's surprised features. "Even though you're Quirkless..." He loomed over me, my body flinching back as he fired an explosion from his palm. "...you're pretending to be a hero, Deku?" I didn't have the time to respond before Kacchan and his friends charged forwards, fists drawn back. It was over in a flash. The blinding sun passed over me as I lay on the ground, body throbbing with pain. I was weak. I was defeated. Just like always.

'People are not created equal.'

That's the hard truth I learned at the age of four. But that was my first and last setback.

It all began in Keikei city in China. With the news that a bio-luminescent baby was born! After that, 'exceptional' individuals began popping up all over the world. The cause was unclear. Time passed, and the 'exceptional' became the norm. Fantasy… Became reality! At present, 80 percent of the world's population consists of superhuman with special abilities. The world is in chaos! And a profession everyone once only dreamt about… Entered the spotlight!

Along with the exceptional abilities came an explosion in the crime rate. While nations struggled to overhaul their legal systems, brave individuals took up the mantle of heroes straight out of comic books, protecting people from evildoers! With public support, some quickly acquired the right to serve as heroes in an official capacity. Depending on their performance, they have the potential to earn: Government pay! And Fame and glory!

"You're also going for U.A., aren't you, Midoriya?"

I had been ignoring the excited shouts of my classmates, my head on my desk, trying desperately to drown out their voices. However, when I heard those words I felt my body involuntarily twitch, and I cautiously raised my head, only to see the whole class stare at me in shock before simultaneously bursting into roaring laughter.

"Huh?! Midoriya?! No way!"

"Good grades alone can't get you into the hero program!"

I swallowed pathetically at their words, meekly countering their taunting. "Th-that's not necessarily true! Sure, there's no precedent, but…"

"COME ON DEKU!" Before I could retaliate, I was blown from my desk by a loud explosion issued out by an equally loud blond. "Forget the crappy quirks. You're totally Quirkless! And you think you can rub shoulders with me?!"

I could feel the air around me grow warmer with the crackles that threatened to burst forth from Kacchan's palms. I didn't know how much more damage I could do by talking, but I figured it would be better than staying silent in case he was to take it as if I was ignoring him. "Wa- Wait, no, Kacchan! I wasn't…" I felt the air heat up even more, now actually able to see the smoke pouring off of Kacchan. Quicker that I thought could move, I had scurried away from the twitching blond, only to find my back hitting the wall behind me. "I wasn't saying I could compete with you! Not at all!" I lowered my head to stare at my knees, hating how I couldn't stop myself from trembling in his presence. "It's just… It's always been my dream. Since I was little. And well…" I gathered my courage to look him in the eyes. "There's no harm in trying…"

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say.

"Try?! Try what?! The entrance exam?! You're taking the exam just to 'try'?" That brought forth another burst of laughter from the class. I found myself shrinking away from them even more, their faces becoming blurred, shadowed masses with haunting grins. "What can you even do?!"

I was left speechless.

The bell rang, signalling the end of the school day. I quickly gathered my notebook titled Hero Analysis for my Future, No.13, and prepared to leave. However, as soon as I turned around, my notebook was snatched from my hand by the one and only explosive human bomb.

"We ain't done here, Deku."

I felt my heart rate increase. That book meant everything to me. It contained my hopes, my dreams, my aspirations, and all my hard work, research and analysis on heroes. "C-come on. Give it back!"

Two of Kacchan's friends gathered around him. "What's that, Katsuki?" "'For my Future'? Seriously?! This guy, Midoriya."

Kacchan didn't respond. He simply stared at my notebook in his hands, a dark expression crossing his features. Without any warning, Kacchan brought his other hand up to the cover of my notebook and blasted it until it was blackened and burnt. He glanced at it, a small 'Hmph' escaping his lips before he carelessly tossed it over his shoulder.

I was frozen in place, trembling. I wasn't sure if it was from shock, fear, or pure rage.

"The best heroes out there, well… They showed signs of greatness even as students. I'll be the first and only hero from this crappy public middle school! The first to win the honour of becoming a student at U.A. High. I guess I'm just a perfectionist." Regardless of how correct his statements were, I couldn't help but think to myself of how vain he was. He wasn't finished though. "In other words…" I jolted as his hand came down heavy on my shoulder, a crazed smile on his face. "…don't you dare get into U.A., nerd!" I couldn't move. I was dripping in my own sweat, the smell of burning material reaching my nose. It was obvious that Kacchan had burnt my shoulder, but I couldn't feel it. I could only hear my heartbeat in my ears, the blood rushing past my face.

"He's pathetic. He still can't face reality."

Kacchan turned to me one last time before he exited the room. "If you really want to be a hero that bad, there's a quick way to do it. Believe that you'll be born with a quirk in your next life, and take a last chance and dive off a roof!" I was in a state of shock, helpless to do anything but watch his retreating form. His ever-retreating form.

I found myself pulling my soggy notebook away from the nibbling lips of the Koi fish in the school fountain. I could feel my frustrations burning. My frustrations at fate for allowing people with mindsets like Kacchan's to be born with amazing Quirks. My frustrations at Kacchan, for being so ignorant and vain. But most of all, my frustrations at myself for being so useless.

"Stupid... Stupid... STUPID BASTARD!"

"Again?! Izuku, I think you're responsible for tens of thousands of this video's views. It's a little too scary for Mommy to watch." I could hardly contain my excitement as my mother set up my favourite video. It was an old clip. There was this big disaster a while back, but in the aftermath, a certain hero made his debut.

"He's so cooooooool! When I get my quirk, I wanna be just like him!

"I'm afraid there's no hope for him."

I felt my body go stiff. I just froze. 'No hope… No hope… No hope…' those two words kept replaying in my mind like a broken record that refused to move on.

"No! There must be some mistake?" I could hear my mother, but it felt like her voice was so far away, as if I was hearing it from the other side of a glass panel. "The other kindergarteners have all started showing signs, but…"

"Pardon my asking ma'am, but you're the fourth generation, yes? As far as Quirks, I mean."

"Yes, of course…" My mother shot my motionless body a concerned glance before continuing. "I can pull small objects towards me. And my husband can breathe fire."

"By the age of four, a child should manifest either one of his parents' quirks of a composite of the two. However, early Quirk research discovered one important finding. It has to do with the presence of absence of the extra joint in the pinky toe. Humans have no need for extra parts they don't use, you see. And those without the joint represent the next stage of evolution. Izuku here has two joints. It's becoming quite rare nowadays, but… He possesses no Quirk at all.

"And he's smiling! Mom, no matter what kind of trouble you're in, he'll save you with a smile." I turned to face her, tears filling my eyes as I tried to keep my own smile on my face. "Mama, I can still be like All Might, right? I- I can still be a hero?"

"I'm sorry Izuku! I'm so sorry!" Mother had run over and wrapped her arms around me, but I had just felt numb. Hollow. 'No... No, mom…'

That was when I decided. I decided not to care what anyone says! To keep my chin up and keep moving forward! I clenched my fist and smiled to myself, walking home with a determined spring in my step. I was so preoccupied with my thoughts, that I had failed to notice the voice whispering in my ear.

"A medium-sized body… To hide in…"

By the time I noticed, I had just enough time to turn my head before something cool and wet enveloped me. 'A villain?!' My nose and mouth were quickly covered by a slime-like substance, vicious, and unable to grip. I couldn't breathe, but my other senses were on high alert.

"Don't worry. I'm just hijacking your body. Clam down. It'll only hurt for about 45 seconds… Then it'll be all over. I'm saved. You're a real hero. I never thought he'd show up in this town."

I continued to struggle pointlessly, my chest convulsing with the lack of oxygen. I knew it was pointless to try to scrape my way out, but my oxygen-deprived state wasn't allowing me to think clearly.

The villain took note of my struggling and decided to remind me anyways. "No point in trying that. I'm fluid, you see!"

My mind went into a helpless panic as I felt my body get heavier with each passing second. 'I can't breathe! My body… Getting weak… I'm dying! I'm gonna die?! Someone help! I'm dying! No…' Tears began to escape the corners of my eyes. Whether from lack of oxygen or the fact that I was seconds away from death, I'm still not sure. Just as my body was about to give in, I heard another voice, this one much more familiar.

"Fear not, kid! I am here!" My eyes had drifted shut, but my brain was still functioning and I could still hear. The voice was so familiar that I was sure it was him… My theory was determined as true when I heard his signature battle cry. "Texas… SMASH!" The last thing I remember was the face of my idol and a strong gust of wind propelling me backward. Then darkness.

I awoke to tiny slaps upon my cheek. "Hey… Uh. Thank goodness… You're okay! Excellent!" By that point, my senses were back to normal and I scurried away as fast as I could. I couldn't believe it! All Might! In the flesh! Right here in front of me… And he had saved me too! "Apologies… For getting you caught up in my villain hunt. Mistakes like that aren't my style, but… This is a strange land to me. And besides, I'm off camera! But my success here is all thanks to you! I've contained the villain!"

'All Might! He's here… He's really here! Up close, I can really see!' I quickly scrambled around looking for my notebook, desperate to get an autograph from him. I located it then frantically flipped through it looking for a blank page before seeing his name scrawled out with thick black ink. I was absolutely floored.

"Wowww! Thank you so much! What a treasure! It'll be my family heirloom!" I couldn't help but bow my thanks to him. Unbeknownst to me at that time, All Might hadn't even spared me a second thought. While I was busy bowing, he had already walked away.

"Now I must bring this fellow to the authorities! You can catch me again on TV!"

"Um! Wait… Is that it…? I…"

"A pro battles not only enemies, but also time."

'Hold on! I still… I need to ask you…'

"Until next time… Thanks for your support!" Before I could think, I had reacted purely out of instinct. My arms had latched onto All Might's leg, and we were soaring fast through the skies. "Hey now! Release me! Such enthusiasm is a bit much!"

"If I… Let go now… I'll… I'll die!" I could hardly believe my own foolishness, but that question meant a lot to me. "I… Need to as you… So many things… Gah! You…"

"Okay, okay. Just do me a favour and close your eyes and mouth." He didn't really have a choice, but I couldn't believe that a pro had complied to a nobody like me.

Finally, we touched down on the rooftop of an abandoned building, and I could have kissed the concrete. I had never been happier to have crashed into a solid surface. "Scary…"

"Of all the…!" I was brought out of my post-traumatic state by All Might grumbling to himself. "Hopefully the people downstairs will help us get down. I've no time though! Truly!" I saw him prepare to jump again, and made a split second decision.

"Wait! Um…"

"No! I will not wait."

I knew he was limited on time, but I just had to know! I clenched my eyes shut and inhaled sharply. It was now or never. I'd probably never get another chance to talk to him. "Even without a quirk… Can I still be a hero?!" All Might had to know… He was the number one hero after all! He was the epitome of heroism… the very best! "Can someone without a quirk… Become a hero like you?"

"Quirks are…" I barely heard him though. I had to get it all out! I could somewhat make out him muttering something to himself, but I continued on anyways.

"Because I don't have a Quirk… Well, maybe that's not the only reason. But I've always been picked on… That's why… Maybe that's why… I think saving people is just about the coolest thing someone can do. The way you save people with a fearless smile! I want to be the strongest hero, just like y- WHAAAAAT?!" In front of me was a shrunken skeleton of a man. Hollow cheeks, gaunt skin, and droopy blond hair. "You're all shrivelled up! Huh?! A fake?! An imposter?! So thin!"

The blond just stared at me, an impassive look on his face. "I am All Might." Blood spurted from his mouth, the man lifting his arm to hastily wipe it away.

"Woah! No way!"

"You know how people hold in their gut at the pool? It's like that!"

"No way!"

The man before me slumped to the ground, resting his back against the railing. "A fearless smile, huh… You've seen the real me, kid. But don't write about it on the internet, okay?" I wasn't sure if I was dreaming or not. The number one hero… Was he really this shrivelled up and frail looking man? "Five years ago… An enemy did this to me." He slowly lifted up his shirt to reveal a scar, veins running out from it like a shattered mirror. I barely held back a surprised 'Eep!'. My body shuddered involuntarily, despite trying to keep my face passive. "My respiratory system was nearly destroyed, and my stomach was removed. I've wasted away because of the after-effects of those surgeries. I can only do my hero work for about three hours a day now."

He paused a moment to let his words sink in. "Five years ago…? Was that when you fought Toxic Chainsaw?" He looked surprised that I knew that, but continued on regardless.

"That lowlife? He could never do this to me! This was never made public. That is, I asked that it not be made public. A symbol of peace who saves people with a smile… Must never be daunted by evil. The reason I smile… Do you know why I smile? I smile to show the pressures of being a hero, and to trick the fear inside of me. Pro heroes are constantly risking their lives. That is why I cannot simply say, 'one can become a hero, even without power.'"

His words struck a chord within me. I felt a cold through my body, and I could swear I felt my heart stop. For the second time in my life, I felt completely empty and hollow. But this time was different from before. While I was frozen by shock at the age of four, this time, ten years later, I was filled with disappointment. I wasn't disappointed in his answer. I was disappointed in myself for believing that I could do what was obviously impossible. I didn't hear the words I had been hoping to hear, but surprisingly that wasn't the worst feeling. The worst feeling was that I had allowed myself to be so optimistic even though I knew myself that it wasn't possible. I was ashamed.

"If you desire to help people, becoming a police officer is always an option. Those villain custody officers are often mocked, but… That too is admirable work!" I stood in silence as All Might shakily got to his feet. He was almost out the door to the stairs when he paused to say a few words of parting. "It's not wrong to dream. However… You need to be realistic, kid." Those were the last words he said before he turned away, the door slamming shut with a metallic finality.

"You need to be realistic."

"Even as a third-year, he still can't face reality."

"It's time to start thinking seriously about your futures!"

'Even… The best of the best said it… Don't cry! You knew already, right?! This is reality… It's because I knew… That I tried to damned hard…' I found myself on the long, slow trek back to my house, my throat feeling unnaturally tight. I fought back the tears that threatened to spill down my cheeks, my face feeling stuffy and warm. 'So hard not to see. To ignore reality. Yeah.' A sudden explosion caught my attention, pulling me from my thoughts. 'Hey… That explosion…?' I was so used to gawking. I told myself to stop, to just stop it because I'd only make myself feel like a loser. But I couldn't. When I saw the scene, I couldn't believe my eyes. 'Is that him?! How?! All Might let him go! Did he drop him?! That means…'

"This is my fault!"

I took in my surroundings, seeing multiple pro heroes already at the scene. They were focusing on the other citizens and the surrounding buildings. However, they weren't doing anything about the sludge villain.

"Why're the heroes just standing there?" I quickly elbowed my way into the crowd, listening to the conversations going on around me.

"Seem's the villain's grabbed a middle schooler."

'Grabbed…? So he's enduring that same pain?! There's a person in there?! Why aren't the heroes moving to save them? They might not be suited for the villain's quirk, but are they really going to let the person die?!' My mind flashed back to the moments I had spend in the clutches of the sludge villain. The crushing feeling of not being able to breathe, the fear of impeding death… "Unbelievable…" I focused my attention back on the conversations around me, hoping to get more information on the current situation.

"Hey, that villain… Isn't it the one All Might was chasing?"

"All Might?! No way! He's really here?!"

"Yeah, I saw him earlier."

"Then what's All Might doing now?!"

My breaths were shaky as I moved in closer, my hands coming up to cover my mouth. "It's all my fault All Might can't do anything! This guy can't be caught. We have to wait for someone with the right quirk to show up!" This frightened me beyond belief. Heroes were a pillar in society that reassured citizens of their safety. I had never accounted for times that no hero had a suitable quirk for a situation. It had never even crossed my mind that sometimes heroes might not even be able to save everyone. It was a fragile justice system, and I could see just how thin the threads holding it together were. My heart went out to the middle schooler. 'Hang in there… I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Someone will come to save you soon… A hero's bound to come…' I felt desperation set in the time ticked by. The student's head was barely visible. I stuffed my shaking Hands into my pockets, before suddenly noticing a tuft of blond hair sticking out from the sludge. I watched in horror as the person fought back, their head finally facing in my direction. As I caught a glance at their face, I felt my blood run cold.

"You're Quirkless. What the hell can you do?"

Those were the words spoken by the boy I had grown up with. The boy who I had admired. The boy that was now in front of me, struggling to get free from the sludge. As much as he despised me, I still considered him a friend. And I wanted him saved. But nobody was daring to run in to save him. I glared at the heroes around the scene. 'And you have the right to call yourselves heroes?! I thought heroes were always risking their lives!'

My feet moved purely on instinct, and I sprinted towards Kacchan and the sludge, skirting around the flames rising up from the ground. I ignored the heroes as they cried out, trying to get me to stop. "Get back here, you fool! Stop!"

The villain noticed my presence, and I saw his eyes light up in recognition. "It's that kid…"

'Why am I running? What am I doing? Why?!'

The villain began advancing towards me with an intimidating smile that rivalled Kacchan's. "You're dead." His voice sounded garbled, almost animalistic.

'What do I do?! What do I do?! At a time like this…' I suddenly remembered my notebook. Page 25 'Always blast to keep damage to a minimum!' With that in mind, I desperately flung out my school bag, hoping to hit something solid. I knew that I couldn't grab hold of the sludge because it was fluid, but the creature must have some form of a physical core, or at least something that I can hit. To my surprise, I had managed to hit him in the eye with one of my books, causing him to stumble back a bit. That gave Kacchan a moment to get his head free again, coughing and gasping for air.

"KACCHAN!"

"Deku you idiot, why are you here?!"

"I- I don't know! My feet moved me!"

"Why are you doing this?!"

'There were any number of reasons.'

"There's no hope."

"It's my fault."

"You think you can rub shoulders with me?!"

"Kacchan."

"No harm in trying."

"My dream."

"A super cool hero."

"You need to be realistic."

"Saving people with a smile."

'But at that moment…'

"You- you looked like you were asking for help!"

Unfortunately, I didn't get the response I wanted. It was what I was expecting though. "Stop… It! Just a bit longer. So stop getting in my way!"

Before I knew it, the sludge had decided to retaliate against me. I could hear the pro heroes faintly yelling to each other over the adrenaline rushing in my ears. "Does he have a death wish? He'll die for nothing!" I braced myself, but to my surprise, I felt no pain, no suffocation. Shocked, I looked up to see All Might. He grabbed my arm, pulling me and Kacchan away from the villain's clutches.

"The lesson I left you with… I should practice what I preach!" I was astonished. I thought he had already gone over his limit today! "A pro should always be ready to risk his life! DETROIT SMASH!"

A gigantic burst of air was directed upwards, and I felt a raindrop as the dust settled. "Rain?"

"No way. The air pressure… That rising air current…"

"Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey."

"He changed the weather with a single punch!"

"Amazing. That's… All Might!"

Afterwards, the heroes collected the villain's scattered body, and it seemed like the police had managed to get him into custody. The heroes were really mad at me. "There was absolutely no need for you to put yourself in danger!"

Kacchan, on the other hand, got all the praise. "You were real tough out there! And that quirk! Consider becoming my sidekick once you go pro!"

I could feel a slight tick of annoyance in my forehead as I watched. Kacchan was getting praised for being a victim who happened to have a powerful quirk. I was getting scolded because I attempted to save someone, yet I lacked a powerful quirk. That's just it. That's how unjust society is, and how having a quirk can get you places in life that you don't even deserve.

With the reporters begging the heroes - along with Kacchan - to give them interviews, I managed to slip away unnoticed. I made my way back to my house in silence, the day's events playing themselves over and over in my mind.

"I wanted to apologize to All Might, but… I guess I'll just leave a message on his website when I get home."

"Oi Deku!" I turned upon hearing my nickname, seeing a blond male running towards me slightly out of breath. Before I could fully comprehend what was happening, he was jabbing a finger in my face.

"I- I don't know what kind of stunt you were trying to pull back there, but you didn't do anything. I wasn't asking for help, and I sure as hell didn't ask for help from you! As if you could! Huh?! I could've beaten him myself. You didn't help me, and you never will help me. Got it?!" I nodded my head. "Good. Stupid nerd!" And with that, I was left seemingly alone once more.

"He's right though. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't change anything. But still… I'm glad. Now I can finally focus on a more realistic future…" For some reason… I remembered what my mom said.

"I'm sorry Izuku. I'm so sorry!"

"No mom… back then, what I wanted you to say was…"

"You can be a hero."


	2. Chapter 2

"You can be a hero."

"W- who?" I cautiously turned around, only to see nobody there. At first I thought I was hearing things, but then a black fog began to appear in the air before me. Cautious, I took a step back, my hand on the strap of my backpack, prepared to throw it at any moment. To my surprise, however, a piece of paper and a makeshift business card fluttered to the ground before the mist disappeared all together. I knew that I probably shouldn't approach the paper at all, but my curiosity got the better of me. As soon as the fog completely vanished from sight, I found myself dashing over to retrieve the paper.

 _"Focus on a more realistic future"? And why do you not believe that the future you have in mind is achievable? Become your own hero._

I picked up the makeshift business card, and flipped it over. The address seemed to be somewhere in the Kamino Ward. No phone number though, and no name. It was definitely suspicious, but my interests were peaked. Why did they think I could become a hero? What did they see that made them take interest in someone as plain as me?

I shook it off, carefully folding the paper and shoving it into my pants pocket. My walk back home was a quiet one, as I was left alone with my thoughts and the scenery around me. It was springtime, the sakura trees in full bloom. I always loved when the blossoms would fall and blow around in the air, creating an almost magical feel. I tiled my head up, allowing myself to enjoy the sun warming my face. Despite how miserable I was feeling, the nice weather did manage to improve my mood.

When I finally got home, I was hoping to relax in my room and just forget that this crappy day had ever happened, but of course mom made a big fuss the second I stepped into the doorway.

"Izu! I saw the villain attack on the news… What were you thinking?! Are you alright?! Are you okay?! Why would you run directly into danger?! Do you have any idea how worried I was?! Oh Izuku… I'm so happy you're safe!" For a woman her size, she certainly could spew a lungful of words without taking a single breath.

"Mom, mom, breathe!" I waved my arms frantically in front of my face, trying to gain some distance so I could speak. "I don't know what I was thinking, it was just my instinct! Yes, I'm alright and I'm okay. I ran because Kacchan was in trouble and he needed saving. None of the other heroes were doing anything about it! I'm sorry I worried you, and thank you, I'm glad I'm safe too."

After a moment, she had finally recollected herself and sank back down into the sofa she had originally shot up from. She patted the spot next to her, and I made my way towards her, disposing of my shoes and backpack along the way. As soon as I sat down, she drew me into a tight hug.

I clenched my fists, steeling myself. "I'm sorry mom. I wish I wasn't so useless… Then I wouldn't have to worry you and then Kacchan would have been safe, and maybe life wouldn't be so hard and maybe Kacchan would be nicer, and perhaps I could become a hero easier, and maybe I just-"

"Oh, Izuku," I hear her let out a slight 'tsk' before continuing. "You are not useless. Don't you ever say that."

"But mom, don't you see?" I tugged away and slammed my hand on the couch to emphasise my point. "If I wasn't useless then I would have saved Kacchan!"

Her face scrunched up at my words. "But you did save him, sweetheart. I saw the news. You had deliberately aimed your bag at that villain's eyes, hadn't you?"

"Yeah, but-" I cut myself off as mom glared at me.

"But nothing. You helped to slow down and distract the villain long enough so that All Might could get there."

"I suppose. I just wish I could have done more." She sat upright, leaning towards me with a desperate look in her eyes.

"You already got hurt! What more could you have done if you had gotten seriously injured?!"

"But I didn't, mom, I-" Mom held up a finger to silence me.

"Izu, I know that you want to save people, but if you get hurt, then-" She stopped abruptly as I pulled away, a pained expression on my face.

"Mom, I know you want me to be safe, but I also want to save as many people as possible! There's always going to be those few people that the heroes don't get to in time, and I- I don't want to not be able to do anything! Those people deserve to be saved all the same and I don't want for them to feel like they've been abandoned."

"Izu-"

"Mom, do you understand why I want to do this so bad?"

"Yes, Izuku, I do understand. However, you can't just go out and recklessly hurt yourself!"

"But-"

"I'm only saying that because if you get yourself hurt then you won't be able to do anything regardless!" That hit me like a slap to the face. "Honey, if you get yourself hurt from acting brash and rushing into things, then you'll be out of commission after just one act of heroism. How will you continue to save multiple people when you're done after saving just one?"

I was about to retaliate, but I stopped myself as I let her words sink in. My gaze fell to my lap, and I chewed on my bottom lip as I thought. "I- I see that now, mom. I wasn't thinking before. It's just that, well… I don't want anyone to think they've been abandoned or forgotten about or unwanted because… well, because I know how that feels. And I don't want anyone else to have to feel the way I did." My eyes were burning, and I was shaking slightly, trying to hold back my tears.

"Oh, Izu-" I was pulled into a tight hug, the warmth enveloping me as my tears were absorbed into my mom's sweater. Once my tears had subsided, she pulled away slightly, my face held gently between her hands. "I just don't want you doing anything stupid or reckless, especially since you're not trained for it yet. I care about your happiness, but if one of these stunts of yours ends up with you dead… Your safety comes first. You don't always have to rush into situations, analyze the situation first and use your instinct to lead you. You're a bright boy, and that brain of yours will get you places. Just be patient and know that your time will come when it's ready. You're destined to do great things, sweetheart."

"M- mom…" My eyes were growing misty again, and my chest felt far too tight. "Thank you momma… I love you!"

"Oh baby, c'mere." I was pulled into another hug, one hand resting on the back of my head, the other rubbing comforting circles on my back. I let myself go, sobbing all my pain, fatigue, confusion, and relief into my mother's shoulder. "I love you too, Izuku. So much. And I will always support you through anything. Don't you ever forget that."

"I won't momma. And I'll always be here to support you too. I promise I won't get myself hurt for as long as you promise to never leave me to live my dream alone."

"Of course, Izu. I promise." We separated and linked our right pinkie fingers together, the ghost of a smile on our faces, and a warm feeling in my heart. I gave her a final squeeze before detaching myself from her embrace and heading to my room. The exhaustion from today's events were taking their toll on my body, and I was definitely feeling it. 'Maybe a twelve week nap? And then I could pretend to be asleep for three more? Yeah. That sounds really good right about now…'

I spent the next few hours relaxing in my bed, watching vines and funny animal videos. Today had been a stressful day, and I wanted to just step back and take a moment to recharge.

"Izuku! Dinner's ready!" I turned my head toward my door, the delicious smell of katsudon wafting its way to my nose.

"Smells great mom! I'll be right there."

"Okay sweetheart."

I closed my computer, leaving it on my bed as I shuffled to my door, stretching my arms above my head as I walked. My shoulder blades cracked with a satisfying pop, and I ran my hand through my unruly curls before opening my door and making my way to the kitchen.

"Ah, here you go Izu. Thought I'd make you your favourite after all of today's excitement."

"Thanks mom, I appreciate it. You always make the best katsudon." I flashed her a grateful smile. I really didn't deserve such a sweet mother.

Dinner was quiet with the occasional small talk, but it was peaceful. I took the time to relish in the feeling. Once I had finished, I rinsed out my bowl and placed it in the sink, wiped off my hands then hugged my mom goodnight before making my way back to my room.

That night I didn't dream about heroes as usual. In fact, I didn't sleep at all. My mind was kept awake, tormented by the events from this afternoon. Kacchan taunting me. Long, stretched faces. Eerie grins, mocking my every move. A burnt notebook. Suffocating. All Might. All Might walking away. Kacchan being captured. Kacchan almost drowning. Screams. Yells. Panic. Adrenaline. Pain. Salvation. Tears. It kept replaying itself behind my eyelids, an old reel tape stuck on loop.

Knowing that I wouldn't be getting anymore sleep that night, I made my way over to my bag, digging around inside for my notebook. I had a few more points to add to my hero analysis. However, my notebook wasn't inside my bag. All Might had told me that the heroes at the scene had been kind enough to round up my books after they had flown out of my bag from hitting the villain, but they must not have gotten my notebook. 'I'll go see if it's still at the scene tomorrow morning," I tell myself. 'Guess I'll just have to pass time some other way.'

I eventually settled for sitting on my bed with my back against the wall, phone in hand and earbuds in. As music flooded my ears, I found myself thinking back to my mother's words. She has supported me for as long as I can remember, and I know that she didn't meant what she had said all those years ago. I was lucky to have her as my mother.

All of a sudden, I had the feeling that I wasn't alone. I quickly paused my music, pulling my earbuds out, my eyes and ears sharp and alert. I sat tense and motionless for a few minutes, but when nothing happened, I relaxed back onto my pillow with a sigh. It was much too early for me to deal with my paranoia. I was about to play my music again when I swore I heard a thump come from down the hall. I sat bolt upright again, yanking my earbuds out once more. This time, I didn't wait. I took deep breaths, trying to slow my racing heart, and crept over towards the entrance of my room. I cracked open the door, slipping out into the darkened hallway. I edged myself towards the living room, being careful as to not make any noise. I came to a halt as the corner of the couch came into view. The only light in the room came from the moonlight peeking through the crack in the curtain, and I could see two dark figures standing on either side of the coffee table. In the low lighting I couldn't see the details of their faces, but one appeared to be female, and the other one was male. I steeled myself, swallowing thickly. In one hand I gripped my All Might pocket knife, and in the other I held the end of a glass water bottle, prepared to use either in case of emergency.

"Where's the boy?" I felt myself do a double take at the words.

"I-I'm not letting you get to him! You'll have to get through me first, and I've already alerted the authorities. A hero along with police reinforcements are already on their way." Mom?! Oh this was bad. This was bad.

"A hero with police reinforcements, huh? Think they'll get here in time?" I could almost hear the smirk in his voice, and I felt shivers run up my spine.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well you see… I didn't come here with the intention of playing around." My blood ran cold when I heard the tell-tale sound of a gun being loaded. That was my mom. He had a gun pointed at my mom. My heart sank, and instinct took over.

"Don't you dare!" It was just like yesterday. My feet moved on their own, the bottle raised above my head, and my knife gripped tightly within my right fist. I was perfectly poised to strike, but at the last moment, the intruder spun around at a superhuman speed, grabbed the bottle in their own fist, and tossed it behind me. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, and in a flash of panic and rage, I lashed out with my right hand.

"Izuku, no!"

The next thing I knew, there's a dark warm liquid coating my hand, and my mother is by my side, gun in her hand. While I had propelled myself at the intruder, she had taken advantage of him being distracted and used her Quirk to pull his gun towards her. Now she held a gun pointed at the intruder, her hand outstretched and shaking. My eyes followed the line of her arm to the intruder, and I took a moment to take in his appearance. He was a tall man, I estimated about 180cm, and had long hair. However, his most distinctive feature was a scar that ran diagonally across his face, beginning next to his right eyebrow and ending just below the left corner of his mouth. The most surprising thing, however, was the fact that he had a small All Might pocket knife lodged in his abdomen. My eyes shot towards my own hand, drenched in his blood. I then turned to meet my mother's eyes with fear and shock reflected in my own. Had I just…stabbed him?!

The intruder was still standing strong, one hand yanking the knife out and applying pressure to the wound, while the other hand reached into his pocket to unsheathe another gun.

"My, my. Look what we have here! The very boy I came here to retrieve." I took a sideways glance towards my mom, but she was focused solely on the intruder, her face pale and her lips pressed firmly together in concentration.

"And why, may I ask, were you here to retrieve him?" My fear was catching up to me. Why did I think I was actually able to take him on? 'Come on Izuku, think! You're supposed to know what to do in this kind of situation. You've taken notes for this!' But my mind remained stubbornly blank. I was scared half to death, my knees threatening to fall out from underneath me. I took another helpless glance at my mom. I couldn't let her down, but my body refused to move.

"Surely he's not interesting enough to garner the attention of someone like you." Mom tilted her head to the side, the corners of her lips turned up in a smirk as if to challenge the intruder.

The man chuckled quietly to himself. "Quite the contrary. However, I can't see why All Might took an interest in him. He's scared of his own shadow! Look at him. All weak and shaking. However, he's still of use to me, so I'll just be taking him, thank you."

"All Might? What's he got to do with the situation?" She was trying to keep him talking, get some information out of him. I could see where I got my strategist side from.

"Ah. All Might. Well, you see, like I mentioned earlier, it seems that All Might has taken an interest in the boy, as he was trying desperately to reach him after yesterday's incident, but was held back by reporters. Now, when I heard that, I couldn't help but think to myself, 'Hey, on top of getting the boy, I could also get some money. Now how much of a ransom would All Might be willing to pay for him?'. So I went home, found a news report with his name, hacked into the city files, found your address, and voila, here I am. I could have just followed him, but I assumed that would seem a bit suspicious." His face stretched into a grin once he finished his little monologue, and he turned to me with a flourish.

I felt my frustration flare at his words, my voice suddenly returned. "Wait. So let me get this straight. You broke into my house and threatened my mother just so that you could get to me so that you could get some extra cash?"

"That's partially correct." He grinned, and I felt goosebumps rise on my arms. "I still need you for another reason though. Now, what do you say? Will you come along quietly now? I won't even have to knock you out if you'll just comply…"

"Absolutely not!" My head whipped over to my mom as the words left her mouth.

The next few seconds happened almost too fast to see. Mom fired her gun at the intruder. The intruder activated his Quirk, Acceleration, and dodged out of the way before firing his own gun. 'His Quirk allows him to see, hear, think and move at a super speed… Just the fact that I managed to stab him must have been because he wasn't expecting it. Still, it's incredible that I was able to do that. Not that that was a good thing either…' I panicked, trying to backpedal, but barely even moving before I felt a punch collide with my jaw, sending me flying to the left, away from my mom. He then dashed over to my mom, disarming her and flinging the gun she was holding to the opposite side of the room. I feigned being knocked out, making sure that his back was completely towards me before making a split second decision. I bolted over to the gun as fast as I could, and fired several wild shots towards the intruder. A moment of silence happened as I stood gazing at the man. He was slumped on the floor in an unnatural position, but from where I was, I couldn't tell if I had even managed to hit him or not. 'Is he- did I get him? Or is he just faking like I was?' Cautiously, with my gun still raised, I made my way over toward his unmoving form, trying Then reality came crashing back down on me.

"Oh my goodness mom I just shot at someone. Multiple times." I gave his body a quick once-over, and felt my breath hitch when I saw the blood. There was a bullet hole slightly to the left of his temple, and no visible exit wound. "And I hit him. In the head! Mom, oh my god what if I killed him?! Oh my god, mom! Mom, did you see th- Mom?!" I spun around, only to find mom lying on the floor, hand pressed up against her chest. Between her fingers, I could see blood seeping through, staining her cardigan a deep shade of crimson. "Mom? Mom! No, no, no mom, oh my goodness. Mom, it's alright, you're gonna be okay, uhh… First aid kit. First aid kit!" I stood up abruptly to go grab the first aid kit, but before I even took two steps, I felt a warm hand grab my wrist, keeping me in place.

"Izuku, it's okay. You're not going to have enough time."

"But- Mom, what are you saying? Let me go, I'm gonna go get the first aid kit! You're gonna be okay, just let me go to get something to patch up your wound hopefully well enough for us to get to the hospital before there's too much blood loss and we can-"

"Izuku, sweetheart, listen to me." I felt my voice die in my throat at the look in her eyes, and I sank to my knees beside her on the floor, her hand gripped between mine. "Izuku, I want you to know, that no matter what, I-" A tiny gasp of pain escaped her lips, cutting her off mid-sentence. I felt tears well up at the strain in her voice as she forced herself to continue. "I'll always love you. You could turn the entire world against you, and I would still be on your side. I -I'm so proud of everything that you've done, and I'm proud of whatever it is that you're going to accomplish in the future. Please always r- remember that. I love you." She was taking in quick, shallow breaths, and I could hear her voice rattle slightly with each exhale.

"I- I love you too mom. So much." Her hand felt cold, and I held it tighter, trying to grasp the fleeting warmth in my palms.

"Oh and I- Izuku, y- you'll never be alone. I'll always be here for y- you, s- supporting you. I'll always be r- right here for you." She then takes my hand in hers and presses it to the left side of my chest, right above my heart. "I- I'll always be r- right here."

"Mom, I- Mom? Mom?! MOM!"

All of a sudden, a knock sounded on the front door. The police. And an amateur-rank hero. I sighed in relief, thinking I was safe, before the reality of my situation really sank in. 'What am I doing? Oh my god I killed someone. With my own two hands. I killed someone! Oh my god! I'm gonna be caught and then I'll go to jail and OH MY GOD I KILLED SOMEONE!' Adrenaline took over once more, and I shot to my feet.

 _Become your own hero._

With those thoughts, I took one last look at my mother's body, turned, and sprinted out to the back door as fast as I could.

In my hand was the small makeshift business card.


End file.
